When encountering a horse with dribbling urine, which disease should be considered?

• A. Strangles
• B. West Nile Virus
• C. Equine Herpes
• D. Potomac Horse Fever

Answer: (C)

Dribbling urine points to a neurogenic bladder from spinal cord involvement. Equine herpesvirus-1 causing myeloencephalopathy is the classic disease that produces acute neurologic signs with urinary incontinence in horses. The spinal cord damage from EHV-1 disrupts the nerves controlling bladder and sphincter function, leading to leakage even if the horse isn’t actively straining to urinate. The other diseases don’t typically present with urinary incontinence linked to neurologic signs: strangles is an upper respiratory/lymph node disease, West Nile can cause neuro signs but incontinence is not a defining feature, and Potomac Horse Fever mainly causes fever and gastrointestinal symptoms. So, when you see dribbling urine, EHV-1 myeloencephalopathy is the leading consideration, and you’d pursue neurologic evaluation and EHV-1 testing (PCR on nasal secretions or blood) along with appropriate supportive care and isolation.